An Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis can be frightening and overwhelming for both the loved one and their family members. Memories of the past will slowly fade away, and doing day-to-day activities will be challenging. Life will become a roller coaster ride; however, it can be meaningful when you’ve prepared yourself for what’s to come. Hence, below are books that can accompany you when dealing with Alzheimer’s. 

The Forgetting by David Shenk

David Shenk’s The Forgetting is a powerful and empathetic book that talks about Alzheimer’s disease from its history to how it affects many people. Shenk shares a meticulously researched Alzheimer’s disease. He divulges how this progressive disease afflicts nearly half of all people over the age of 85. It robs them of their memories and creates havoc on the lives of people afflicted with this. In his book, Shenk captures the impact of the disease on people, may they be the ones diagnosed with it or their families. He explains how this disease is now at the forefront of many medical and scientific agendas worldwide. The Forgettings is a searing account of Alzheimer’s disease, offering readers a sobering and compassionate portrait of this Alzheimer’s tracing from history until the present. 

Going… Going… by Jack Weaver

Jack Weaver’s Going… Going… is a journal of a couple’s journey with Alzheimer’s. This is a fifteen-year journey of happiness, love, and sorrows of Jack and Janey’s battle against this disease. This heartwarming book is both inspiring and educational for readers with this degenerative disease or a loved one diagnosed with such. Going… Going… tells stories of resiliency, hope, happiness, love, and faith amidst the pain and grief of slowly losing oneself. Weaver details how Alzheimer’s can turn the tables and change lives in an instant. He shares how their family coped up with the challenges that come with this in profoundness and honesty. Weaver showcases his devotion to the love of his life and their faith that they will get through this. 

The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey 

The Wilderness is a general fiction book about Alzheimer’s; however, it holds readers on this disease’s sheer truth. The book’s protagonist, Jacob Jameson, portrays a widower whose memory slowly deteriorates. His life is in the tailspin of old age. His wife just passed, his son is in prison, and now he’s about to lose his past due to Alzheimer’s. Jacob’s memory has become increasingly unreliable and slowly sinking out of sight. He loses sight of life. His life is filled with questions from the past that he does not know the answers to. Despite being fiction, this book presents an up-close look into the minds of people who experience Alzheimer’s disease. 

Surviving Alzheimer’s by Paula Spencer Scott

Surviving Alzheimer’s shares Paula Spencer Scott’s supportive and instructive wisdom to family members dealing with Alzheimer’s. Readers will appreciate Scott’s practical guidance to help others with loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. Many believe that helping a loved one with Alzheimer’s needs sacrifice; however, Scott shares tips and soul-saving wisdom without sacrificing. This guide is perfect for those planning to become caregivers presenting current thinking on enhancing the quality of life and safety. She offers techniques to minimize stress, handle frustrating behaviors and resentment that most caregivers experience. 

Slow Dancing with a Stranger by Meryl Comer

Emmy-award winning broadcast journalist Meryl Comer shares her personal experience with Alzheimer’s in her book, Slow Dancing with a Stranger. This is not her battle but that of her husband. This book tells a personal and unflinching account of her husband’s struggle with Alzheimer’s and how people should understand and address this progressive disease. She watched how the man she loves forgets things little by little. How devastating this was for her, and she wants people face-to-face with this condition and the effects on loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Comer intends to put a face on this highly misunderstood disease, revealing facts for readers to know. Slow Dancing with a Stranger is her call for everyone to prepare for the future and avoid being controlled by the disease and healthcare system.